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Rath
Although native to Doisac, the Jiralhanae homeworld, the Rath is one of many species that the Covenant have transplanted, sometimes intentionally and sometimes accidentally, to other worlds. Though vaguely pig-like, the Raths are far larger, sometimes reaching up to 1.6 meters high at the shoulder, and have bony projections on their face. Males also possess long and lethal tusks, used during territorial or mating combat with other males. Raths have no natural predators. Evolving in the harsh jungles of Doisac, it is likely that the ancestral species that gave rise to the Rath was a herbivore. Many of its physiological features suggest a more vegan diet in the past, such as its gastrointestinal tract and the arrangement of its teeth. Jaws that once crushed nuts and seeds have since been put to better use smashing bone, and a once docile forest frugivore has become a powerful and fearsome predatory scavenger, able to chase smaller predators from their kills, and bring down prey of their own. The resemblence of the Rath to the prehistoric Terran Enteledonts is not accidental. The Rath is an artiodactyl, sharing genetic heritage with modern pigs. They share a common ancestor, and while they have been isolated for approximately 40 million years, they have evolved along pretty much the same lines as their entelodont ancestors, with few external differences. The fact that they predate the Forerunners is intriguing in itself, and makes it one of a myriad of extraterrestrial fauna that is anomalous - out of their "proper" time and space. Exactly how they reached Doisac will likely remain a mystery, but since their arrival they have carved out their own niche, from which it is difficult to pry them out. Since the incorporation of the Jiralhanae into the Covenant, the Rath has been a common export from Doisac. Some planets keep small numbers as trophy game, where Sangheili or Jiralhanae huntsmen hunt them for sport. Others have been accidental - the crash of the Proclamation of Innocence on Ketesh accidentally set loose a number of Raths, which have since reproduced and are regarded as a feral pest. Sometimes, the effect on the native ecosystem has been devastating - the Rath has rendered native species extinct, resulting in catastrophic and unpredictable effects on the biosphere. Rath devastation is common throughout Covenant worlds, and it is only through extensive and thorough culling programs that they can be kept in check. Extremely durable and flexible, Raths more than capable of surviving almost anywhere - the icy wastes of Balaho, or the humid jungles of Ketesh, present little challenge. The only effective competition they have is the Snark, native to Ketesh, which is able to hold its own agains the pervasive creatures. Quotes *"The accursed beasts are crude and brutish, wiping out that which does not interest them, and are as pervasive as a disease. Truely they are as abhorrent as the Jiralhanae they share a homeworld with." *"Hmph. The Sangheili may turn their heads in disgust, but to a Jiralhanae they the epitome of survival. Tough and unbending, they can live anywhere. They are a greater species than the Sangheili give them credit for." *"They look kinda like big pigs, don't they? Wonder how much bacon you could get from one of them?"